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Honda recalls 304k Accords for sudden side-airbag deployment

Honda is recalling 303,904 US examples of the 2008-2009 Accord because the side airbags or curtains can inadvertently deploy. The automaker said the problem is not related to Takata's airbag problem or any other supplier. Instead, the issue concerns the software's deployment threshold for side impacts. These sudden deployments can happen if the ignition is on, and the door is forcefully closed. They might also occur if there's a strong enough impact to the underside of the vehicle, like from road debris. As of October 12, 2015, Honda has 19 allegations of injuries from this problem; plus 311 warranty claims and 160 field reports, according to a chronology submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as a Word document). The fix will be a software update to adjust the Supplemental Restraint System, and Honda will begin mailing notifications to owners in mid-December. Statement by American Honda Regarding Side Airbag Inadvertent Deployment Recall: 2008-2009 Honda Accord Sedan Oct 29, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. Side and/or side curtain airbags may inadvertently deploy if the ignition is on and a door is forcefully slammed or there is a significant impact to the vehicle underbody. Issue arises from side impact deployment threshold specification; Not a hardware or supplier issue. Free software update will adjust the deployment threshold. Honda will voluntarily recall 303,904 model-year 2008-2009 Accord vehicles in the United States to update the side Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) software, free of charge. The SRS threshold setting for the side impact sensor is such that with the vehicle ignition on, if there is a strong, non-vehicular collision impact to the lower body of the vehicle or if a door is shut with extreme force, the SRS control unit may interpret the input as a crash and command the side seat airbag and/or side curtain airbag to deploy. Airbags that unexpectedly deploy may increase the risk of injury. Honda has received 19 injury claims related to this issue. Honda is announcing this recall to encourage each owner of an affected vehicle to take it to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification of this recall from Honda. Mailed notification to customers will begin in mid-December 2015. Additionally, owners of these vehicles can now determine if their vehicles will require repair by going to www.recalls.honda.com or by calling (888) 234-2138.

NHTSA gives okay for three automakers to skirt tire-related recalls

BMW, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz are all going to avoid small recalls, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued petitions for "findings of inconsequential noncompliance" to the three manufacturers, according to Tire Business. Basically, the petitions allow the brands to avoid recalls for some very, very minor issues.
BMW had tire placards on 364 X6 M CUVs that stated the car could only handle four passengers, when in reality it had room for three in the back. Actual plausibility of fitting three real humans in the slope-roofed Bimmer aside, the Munich-based manufacturer argued it was inconsequential, as the placards were correct regardless of the number of passengers.
Honda's case focused on 212 2011 and 2012 Acura TSX sedans equipped with 18-inch wheels. The TPMS systems on these cars were set for 17-inch wheels, rather than the larger hoops, but even with the lower settings, the tires maintain adequate load capacity.

New Honda Fit ousts Toyota Prius as Japan's top-selling car last month

The Toyota Camry may lose its title as the best-selling car in the US next year and the Honda Civic has already managed to outsell the Toyota Corolla to become the top-selling compact in the US, but it looks like the domination woes have just hit Toyota on its own turf. Bloomberg reports that the all-new Honda Fit carries the distinction of being the best-selling car in Japan for October - the Fit's first full month on sale - outselling the popular Toyota Prius and Toyota Aqua (our Toyota Prius C).
Unlike the Camry's 16-year reign on US car sales, Japan's race seems a little tighter with the Fit most recently topping the sales charts in May 2011. Since then, though, the two Toyota hybrids have been the top two cars in for sale in Japan. The US won't get the next-gen Fit until the third quarter of 2014, but this new hatchback should be another solid option for buyers in the increasingly popular subcompact segment.